Priya Mitchell at Oxford Chamber Music Festival
I went to Friday's concert at the Holywell Music Room particularly to hear Priya Mitchell, the founder of the Festival, play. Although there are many tempting things to choose from on the Festival programme, I was determined not to miss the chance to hear Priya herself, as she is such a special and gifted musician.
It lived up to my hopes. She took lead violin in the Brahms piano quartet no 3 in C Minor, along with Dirk Mommertz, Annette Walther and Claude Frochaux, and the whole performance was full of that explosive power that is so typical of her. Her intense, passionate playing seems to inspire those who perform with her, and I was reminded of something that someone, I believe, said about Jacqueline du Pré: "She is like a force of Nature." I did actually hear Jacqueline du Pré play live, and I think that Priya Mitchell is the only present-day performer that I would compare with her.
Her playing always seems to be guided by instinct, deep instinct, and for this reason Priya Mitchell is the modern Jacqueline du Pré.
She has now, together with cellist Guy Johnston and pianist Emmanuel Despax, formed the Bechstein Trio, the resident trio of the Bechstein Concert Hall in London.
The unusual title of this concert, Out of the Depths, relates to the modern piece by George Crumb, Vox Balaenae (Voice of the whale). Roy Amotz (flute), Julian Arp (cello), and Irina Zahhrenkova (piano) produced unusual timbres and textures to evoke this other-worldly journey deep below the ocean.
The Oxford Chamber Music Festival this year has been a greater success than ever. Long may it flourish, and all credit to Priya Mitchell who is the driving force.
https://priyamitchell.com/biography-en/https://priyamitchell.com/biography-en/